1830

by Irene Susanna Wise

1830

My Dear Annabelle,

I was so excited when I received your letter telling me of your engagement. I will be there for the quilting bee and the other parties that the family will be having. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Your engagement has got me thinking of all the quilts that I have and how I got them all.

I know you have your twelve tops ready to be quilted, as all girls who are hoping to one day be wed do. I remember one that I made, an Album quilt, it has our family history on it; your great grandmother helped me with it. We took such care in making each block a reminder of the families past and how we came to America. Another one was a wedding ring quilt. Even though my mother (your grandmother) kept saying it would bring me misfortune. Your mother actually finished it so that our mother would not cry about it anymore.

I think that most of the superstitions about quilts are funny, but most are quit real. Like the one, "If a girl shakes a new quilt out the front door the first man who enters will be her husband." I know that this happens, a girl for our hometown it and it happened. So I suggest that you keep them all in mind, and teach your daughters the same. I remember these, because I think them to be true.

• If an unmarried girl puts in the last stitch of the quilting, she will be an old maid.
• If the thread breaks, it will bring bad fortune.
• Lone Star quilts can be bad luck in certain circumstances; a single girl who makes one will never marry.
• "Shaking the Cat": put a cat on a finished quilt, shake it, and the girl closest to the cat when it jumps out will be the next to marry.
• Never begin a quilt on Friday.
• Never quilt at all on Sunday, it is the Lord's day of rest.
• The quilt should never be perfect because only God can make things that are perfect.
• Sleep under a new quilt and you dreams will come true.

I am sure your mother has told you these before and maybe even more, but these are the ones that I live by.

Most of the other quilts that I have from when I was married all have hearts or tulips or rings in the quilting to bring love into my marriage. Just don't you go touching any of them on yours right now or your marriage will be miserable.

Did I ever tell you about one of the quilts that my husband brought with him to our marriage? When he turned twenty-one the women of his circle made him a freedom quilt which is common, but the thing that is so ghastly to most is that the whole quilt is made out of those ladies dresses. I would have been quit embarrassed if I had been courting him at the time.

One of the other quilts that I have is from your great grandmother who gave it to me the day my first born was brought into the world. It is a quilt that commemorates the birth of our great country. It is a lovely quilt all red, blue and white. I will give it to you on the day that your first born enters the world. Seeing how I was blessed with all sons I could not pass it on to them. And you are my favorite niece, even if you are the only one.

I just wanted to tell you that I am making you a quilt for your wedding day and you can use it on your wedding night to bring fortune to your marriage.

With all my love,

Your favorite Aunt Beatrice